Stretch film alternatives

Disposable plastic materials continue to fall into disrepute as they are considered unsustainable. And since stretch film is undoubtedly made of plastic and is therefore, bluntly said, produced for the trash, more and more companies are trying to find alternatives. This search is not an easy one, as stretch film has of course not become established in the world of packaging over the decades by accident, but due to its many positive properties.

STRETCH PAPER - A SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE?

In recent years, more and more packaging retailers have been offering stretch paper as an alternative to hand stretch film. Stretch paper is kraft paper that is to be wrapped around pallets instead of film. However, stretch paper has a few major drawbacks. For one thing, stretch paper is only suitable for indoor use and is therefore hardly suitable as transport packaging - it is a generally known fact that water and paper do not form any particular synergies. Furthermore, stretch paper is much thicker than stretch film, which means that material consumption is exponentially higher and CO₂ consumption increases accordingly. This effect is exacerbated by the fact that stretch paper can be stretched by a maximum of 30%, whereas a much higher material yield is possible with stretch film. This leaves only one advantage of stretch paper for the time being - it looks good and its brown color gives it a sustainable appearance. Anyone looking for a truly sustainable alternative to hand stretch film will not find a satisfactory solution in stretch paper.

STRETCH FILM WITH RECYCLED CONTENT

So paper is not a solution - at least not from today's perspective. Many stretch films on the market today are therefore made partly or even completely from recycled material (PCR or PIR). Although these stretch films are also made of plastic, they use less or no fossil oil in production. However, these films must also be viewed in context, as they fall behind films made from virgin material in terms of performance. This means that a larger quantity of film must be used. For this reason, it must be weighed up in each individual case whether sustainability really comes into play or whether it is invalidated by the increased material consumption. In this case, a normal high-performance film would actually be more sustainable.

CONCLUSION

The range of stretch film alternatives is currently still rather sparse. That's why we say: The best and most sustainable alternative to stretch film is less and better stretch film! By optimizing your consumption, considerable savings can be achieved, giving you excellent results with minimal consumption. Plastic waste and CO₂ savings can go hand in hand with improved load unit security and cost savings.

We are happy to optimize at your site, or you can visit us at the Packaging Solution Center - get in touch now.